If this is your first visit, be sure to check out the FAQ by clicking the link above. You may have to register before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages, select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

So a lot of moms have been telling me (ok, not me, but my wife because I don't hang out with moms....in front of my wife) that they've noticed that a lot of women teachers favor girl students over boys, and that their sons have been given the shaft. I thought of this as them being over-protective, mama bear's baby boy isn't treated like a prince....

Here are specific examples of what they've shared: the teacher gives "pet names" to all the girls but not the boys, or the teacher always sends behavior notes home with the boys but not the girls.

I was lucky to have many female teachers when I was in elementary that didn't seem to favor either sexes, but it makes me nervous to think about my son's future. My daughter has had an good experience so far (3 years into elementary), but I have noticed that the teachers at her school have less patience for boys. How do you address this as a concerned parent?

A number of outstandingly fantastic things have happened for me over the first five days of school, but sadly the thing that sticks out most is the dumbass 10th grader who asked, "How did France get Louisiana all the way over here after we bought it from them?"

No, she is just the type that will be happy getting high with her emo boyfriend the rest of her life.

that's hilarious AND depressing.

Things were rough last week for my T/W classes as a lot of kids decided not to read the assigned reading as they were enjoying having monday off and that left me talking to myself as very few people were chiming in. So, for two of my four classes, I made them write a 2-3 page essay at the end of the class on a random topic i just assigned. I told them, "well, if you're not going to speak, you're going to write!" Luckily, my other two classes were on the ball and that made for a better environment.

"Woke up at 9.55am. Soon as I woke up, I looked at Suzanne and she looked at me. I said, 'Did I tell you about the immune system?' Suzanne starting laughing, I said, 'it's amazing.' She said, 'Not now.'"

Things were rough last week for my T/W classes as a lot of kids decided not to read the assigned reading as they were enjoying having monday off and that left me talking to myself as very few people were chiming in.

JMG, I'm curious. Do you have kids who feel that by virtue of showing up and paying for college, they should receive a passing grade?

My sister-in-law was a T/A at Fresno State University for several years and she finally quit after becoming sickened by the lack of work ethic her students showed (along with lame excuses as to why their work wasn't completed). They felt they deserved a passing grade just by taking up space in her class. Are you seeing that, too?

JMG, I'm curious. Do you have kids who feel that by virtue of showing up and paying for college, they should receive a passing grade?

My sister-in-law was a T/A at Fresno State University for several years and she finally quit after becoming sickened by the lack of work ethic her students showed (along with lame excuses as to why their work wasn't completed). They felt they deserved a passing grade just by taking up space in her class. Are you seeing that, too?

This question isn't directed at me, but we see that here with some (not every) students. It's sad because at first I thought this was an economics thing: middle to wealthy-middle class kids thinking they were owed success by virtue of being in class. Then my wife and I started getting involved with kids in poverty and the same ethic is there: entitlement....

Fortunately some students, rich and poor, don't buy into entitlement, but they seem to be in the minority these days....they actually work-hard, accept responsibility for coming up short, and make efforts to get good grades. It's easy to give these students breaks because they make an effort, but the entitlement gangs....you just can't wait to flunk them for their proud laziness.